When You Visit Your Doctor - Peptic Ulcer Disease
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Do you have diffuse or localized abdominal pain?
- Does the pain ever travel to the back or chest?
- Do you have nausea associated with the pain?
- Does eating make the pain better or worse?
- Do you have black or bloody stools?
- Do you ever vomit blood or material that looks like coffee grounds?
- Do you take any medications (for example, pain relievers)?
- Do you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol?
- Do you drink caffeine-containing beverages?
- Have you ever been tested or treated for a bacteria called H. pylori that can infect the stomach lining?
- Do you have a family history of peptic ulcer disease?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Careful abdominal exam
- Rectal exam
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Stool testing for blood
- Blood or breath test for the presence of H. pylori
- Upper endoscopy (internal examination of esophagus, stomach, and duodenum)
- Upper GI series
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